The Penn's Grove record., 1887-02-26

~ IL (
key to the safe, ma'am; give it to
me, and don't make a cry, if you value
your lifel'
His brutal touch awakened her to a
sense of her danger, and a terrified
scream rang through the house.
Hall he cried. "None of thatl'
and one broad hand was placed over
her mouth, stiling further outcry.
She struggled in his grasp; but her
pCny strength was no match for his.
Quickly and deftly he bound her
wrists and ankles, fashioned a rude
gag, thrust it in her mouth, and threw
her, trembling, upon a couch.
Then, after an examination OF the
safe, The housebreaker began to search
the room for the key.
He examined every nook and corner;
but he could not find it.
His failure to do so angered him.
''She has hid it somewherel' he
growled.
Aud he turned to his helpless victim.
with a fierce fire in his eyes.
where's that key?" he cried, shak-
ing her roughly.
But the gag prevented her from an
swering, if she had been so inclined;
aud when his coarse fingers touched
her cheek and he removed the gag, a
moan of fear and horror arose from her
heart, and a deadly faintness came
over her.
The ruGian noticed this, and ran to
The library window.
ITS closern's a dungeon here" he
muttered, at the same time endeavor-
ing to raise the lower sash of the win.
dow.
Failing in this, he attempted to lower
the upper one, which also resisted his
efforts.
He finally discovered that a broom
stick had been temporarily placed so
that both sashes were held rigid.
With a muttered curse, he reached
up and pulled out the stick.
To do this, he was obliged to stand
on tiptoe, supporting himself by clasp
ing the top of the lower sash with his
diseugaged hand. The ~suGdenness with
which the heavy upper sash fell when
the stick wa removed so startled him
that he involuntarily clutched the
lower frame with both hands. His
eight fingers were caught between the
two sashes as in a vice, and a howl of
rage and pain escaped him.
He kicked savagely, breaking the
glass, and turning his head, begged
piteously to be released.
The uproar aroused Mrs. Gentry, and
her tender heart went out In pity to
the struggling, tortured wretch.
She tried to loosen the cords which
bound her, but his skillful fingers had
drawn them too tightly. And when
he renewed his pleading cries she shook
her head and answered:
~ can't. You have bound my
wrists and ankles so tightly that / can't
move"
Then the villain, finding that his
struggles to release himself only in
creased the horrible pains that shot
through his arms, vented his rage in a
torrent of fierce profanity.
He was cursing and whining when
the door-bell rang, and Mrs. Gentry
uttered a cry of thanksgiving.
1t rang again, louder than before;
then she heard footsteps passing around
to the rear of the house.
Presently they sounded in the
kitchen, and she heard her husbands
voice, calling.
"Lilyl where are you?"
Here! herel" she shouted. with all
the strength of her lungs.
And then, overcome by the terrible
strain through which she had passed,
she tainted dead away.
IN an instant George Gentry burst
into the room, aud with one hasty
glance took in the situation.
His first care was for his wife, who
revived when her bonds were cut away
and some cold water was dashed IN her
face.
She was Just stammering out her
story, when Michael who had been
detained by the breaking of the car
Tlage, drove up with Matte.
The robber was half dead when they
released him.
His hands were in a horrible condi-
ton, the bones of the fingers having
been crushed between the sashes.
He made no resistance, and while
Michael hurried to the village for a
constable, sat sullenly on the couch,
closely guarded by the master of the
Grange.
When Michael returned, John Sloan,
the station agent, came with him.
II might have known that something
was wrong, Mr.. Gentry" he said,
when Tommy, who fetched your tele-
gram to Mrs. Gentry, did not come
back He asked me this afternoon for
permission to go to his Cousins, on the
other side of the village; and | told him
If there was no answer to the telegram
he could keep right on. He WIS hurry
ing back to the station with the an
swer that Mrs. Gentry wrote, when
this brute leaped out of the woods,
gagged him, tied him hand and foot,
and took the telegram. He managed
to get the gag out of his mouth, and
when Michael drove by on his way To
the village, called to him."
The wounded robber. who proved to
be an old offender Just out of prison,
recovered from his wounds, but his
hands were crippled for life, and he
went back to the prison for a long term
of years.
The next morning, Carpenter Pilsen
put in an appearance, ready to repair
the damaged window.
nd "a come over yesterday, Mister
Gentry lie SAID apologetleally, 'sbut
cut my thumb bad with a pesky old
adze. when l was hewin' out aoor tim
Der for Squire Peters barn, and 1t bled
so bad that"
"I'm glad you didn't come" cried
George, fervently.
And he told the astonished carpenter